Apparatus for emplacing filament-shaped materials into thermoplastic materials, methods for using said apparatus and products produced thereby

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and techniques for inlaying or emplacing filamentshaped materials such as wires or the like into a thermoplastic base material wherein the thermoplastic base material is heated to locally and temporarily soften the same following which the filament-shaped material is impressed thereinto. The apparatus includes a distributor having guide means thereon which receives the filament-shaped material from a source of the same, the lower portion of the guide means defining a sliding foot which is heated to soften the base material immediately before impressing the same with the filament-shaped material. The distributor is positioned at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the base material, the inclination of which may be adjusted to maintain the sliding foot portion in alignment with an axis of rotation about which the distributor may be turned 180* for reverse movement of the apparatus. The base material is supported in a manner whereby it may be offset stepwise on reversal of the distributor. Sensing means are provided to automatically raise and lower the sliding foot portion of the distributor in response to changes in the level of the upper surface of the base portion. The distributor may be lifted and latched in a position spaced from the base material during temporary interruptions in emplacing the filament-shaped material into the base material.

United States atent [1 1 3,635,777 Bethge 51 Jan. 18, 1972 1541 APPARATUS FOR EMPLACING FILAMENT-SHAPED MATERIALS INTO THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS,

METHODS FOR USING SAID APPARATUS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREBY [72] Inventor: Walther Bethge, CH 4053, Bruderholzstr,

40, Basel, Switzerland [22] Filed: May 20, 1968 [21] Appl. No.: 730,236

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 20, 1967 Germany ...B 92630 {52] US. Cl ..l56/499, 156/272, 156/380, 156/441, 156/583, 100/93 [51] Int. Cl. ..B30b 5/00, B32b 31/00 [58] Field of Search ..156/583, 515, 359, 497, 499, 156/380, 304, 441; 100/93; 228/1 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,994,360 8/1961 Shaw et a1 ..l56/380 X 3,401,861 9/1968 ....228/1 3,444,612 5/1969 ....228/1 3,459,355 8/1969 Metzger, Jr ..228/1 Primary Examiner-Carl D. Quarforth Assistant Examiner-E. E. Lehmann Att0rney-.lacobi, Lilling & Siegel [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus and techniques for inlaying or emplacing filamentshaped materials such as wires or the like into a thermoplastic base material wherein the thermoplastic base material is heated to locally and temporarily soften the same following which the filament-shaped material is impressed thereinto. The apparatus includes a distributor having guide means thereon which receives the filament-shaped material from a source of the same, the lower portion of the guide means defining a sliding foot which is heated to soften the base material immediately before impressing the same with the filament-shaped material. The distributor is positioned at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the base material, the inclination of which may be adjusted to maintain the sliding foot portion in alignment with an axis of rotation about which the distributor may be turned 180 for reverse movement of the apparatus. The base material is supported in a manner whereby it may be offset stepwise on reversal of the distributor. Sensing means are provided to automatically raise and lower the sliding foot portion of the distributor in response to changes in the level of the upper surface of the base portion. The distributor may be lifted and latched in a position spaced from the basematerial during temporary interruptions in emplacing the filament-shaped material into the base material.

PATKNIED JAN 1 8 i972 SHIH 2 OF 4 Fig. 4

Fig. 3

Immm r0 PATENIED m 7 81872 SHUT U 0F 4 mm m w m 7 mm m $Mi 7. m w m APPARATUS FOR EMFLACING'FlLAMENT-SHAIED MATERIALS INTO THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS,

METHODS FOR USING SAID APPARATUS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREEY This invention is directed to apparatus for emplacing filament-shaped material into thermoplastic base materials, methods for using the apparatus and products prodigcd thereby and is related more particularly to the production of a product having inlaid filament-shaped material such as a wire by locally and temporarily softening the thermoplastic Base material immediately in advance of impressing the samewith the filament-shaped material.

Various applications, particularly those involved in the production of heat-generating, current-conducting or signalconducting products, require that filamentary or strip materials of any desired shape, such as, for example, wires, strands, or strips, be emplaced or inlaid into a carrier base material in a plurality of side-by-side paths. The production of such articles may be carried out in a number of different ways, although there are no techniques or devices currently available which are capable of substantially completely automatic and uniform operation in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Thus, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide methods and means for producing articles of the type Other and further objects reside in the particular manipulative steps defined hereinafter as well as the arrangement of parts and features of construction of the apparatus and the products produced.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a rear elevational view, partly in cross section, and somewhat enlarged, of a distributor for emplacing filament-shaped materials into a thermoplastic base material according to the instant inventive concepts;

FIG. 2 is a side view; partly in cross section, of a somewhat modified distributor mounted in a holding means suitable for automatic operation;

FIG. 2a is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines C-D of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view through the strand or filament guide means of the distributor of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the guide means of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in cross section, of the emplacement apparatus of this invention;

described but which permit the implacement or inlaying of filament-shaped materials into a base material in a particularly efficient and high-speed manner. Moreover, the instant inventive concepts provide for the production of articles having inlaid filament-shaped materials in a manner which may be sub stantially completely automated, while having great versatility to fabricate products having substantially different arrange ments of the inlaid material depending upon the particular application for which such products are to be used. Thus, the instant invention provides an apparatus, and a method of using the same, wherein a filament-shaped material can be emplaced in a thermoplastic base material in" a plurality of generally parallel straight paths, with the filament'shaped material, if desired, being laterally offset in each path to provide a wavy arrangement and, also, with the waves in each path being longitudinally offset with respect to each other, if desired.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a method and means for emplacing filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material wherein the surface of the base material is continuously monitored and the means for emplacing the filamentshaped material is automatically raised or lowered in response to changes in the level of the surface of the base material.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus, and techniques for using the same, wherein the filament-shaped material is carried along a predetermined primary direction of travel and impressed into a base material therebeneath immediately after temporarily softening the base material, and the primary direction of travel is reversed at the end of a forward pass, with the base material being laterally offset before the filament-shaped material is carried in the reverse direction to space juxtaposed portions of the filamentshaped material from each other. In this regard, the means for distributing the filament-shaped material according to the instant inventive concepts is maintained at an angle with respect to the level of the surface of the base material, and means are provided for adjusting this angle, as desired. Additionally, this adjusting means may serve to insure that the portion of the distributing means which guides the filament-shaped material is aligned with the axis of rotation around which the distributing means is rotated for reverse movement.

In general, it is a basic objective of this invention to provide a method and means for emplacing or inlaying filamentshaped materials into a thermoplastic base material which is simple and efficient in operation, with the apparatus being sturdy and durable in construction and highly reliable and efficient in use.

,'FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partly in cross section, of the emplacement apparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the emplacement apparatus, to a reduced scale, showing the same in use; and

(FIG. 7a is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the guide tracks for the emplacement apparatus taken substantially along lines A-B of FIG. 7.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The invention in general, as will be seen from the accompanying drawings, is directed to an apparatus for emplacin g or inlaying a filament-shaped material into a carrier base made of a thermoplastic or heat-softenable plastic material or into a layer of such a thermoplastic material coated on a carrier base. As the distributor slides over the base material, the surface of the base material is locally and temporarily softened by means of feeding heat thereto at a level sufficient to permit continuous emplacement into the softened mass of the filamentary or strandlike material which is reeled from a spool defining a source of the same, the path of travel of the distribut'or being prearranged as desired as will be explained in more detail hereinafter. In this manner, the filament-shaped material will be bonded directly to the base material in the predetermined arrangement upon cooling of the locally and surface-heated thermoplastic material which takes places immediately after inlaying of the filament-shaped material.

Basically, the apparatus of this invention comprises a distributing means which contains a minimally sized heating means, the upper end of which is clamped into a cartridgeshaped holder or mounting support. A heat-conducting shaft or pin protrudes from the bottom of the heating means and a filament guide means is rigidly clamped thereto.

The major portion of the filament guide means possesses a U-shaped profile below the part which is clamped in heatreceiving relationship to the heating means. The legs of the U- shaped profile point in the primary direction of travel of the distributor and the major portion of the filament guide means is tapered toward its lower end which defines a suitably shaped sliding foot portion. The U-shaped portion is provided with an ear having a guide opening defined therethrough which slopes downwardly into the slot defined between the legs of the U- shaped portion.

A further feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a spring-clamping means which secures the distributor to a support transversely to its longitudinal axis and counter to the placement direction, in a manner such that the longitudinal axis forms, preferably, an angle of about with respect to the upper surface of the base material during the placement operation. The sliding foot portion of the filament guide means is arranged to lie in the center of a rotational axis around which the mounting support may be rotated by 180 to reverse the direction of placement of the filament-shaped material.

Another feature of the instant invention is the provision of regulating means mounted vertically with respect to the upper surface of the base material, the regulating means being resiliently pressed into engagement with the upper surface of the base material with the distributor being operatively secured to the regulating means in a manner to raise and lower the sliding foot portion of the distributor in response to changes in the height of the regulating means caused by variations in the level of the upper surface of the base material thereby insuring that the sliding foot portion of the distributor retains a constant relationship with respect to the upper surface of the base material even when the upper surface of the base material is uneven.

Additionally, the apparatus of the instant invention is provided with a drive means which is capable of functioning in a forward and reverse direction to move the distributing means along a guide track with separate drives being provided at the end of each path of travel for rotating the apparatus 180. Further, an additional drive means is provided to laterally displace or offset the base material with respect to the primary direction of travel of the distributor between each forward and reverse run.

When it is desired that the filament-shaped material be emplaced while it is not in completely stretched condition, the placement apparatus can be moved by suitable drive means to, for example, form waves with the filament-shaped material. This can be effected by means of an auxiliary drive which is activated by the main distributor drive means to move the placement apparatus transversely to the main or primary direction of travel as it moves along a particular run. Additionally, a further auxiliary drive means, which also can be activated by the main distributor drive means, can move the placement apparatus slowly forward and backward in its directional course thereby achieving a displacement or variation of the pulses ofa wave in one run relative to the pulses of the waves in an adjacent run and/or a variation in the length or amplitude ofthe waves.

The method of the instant invention provides for the use of an apparatus of the type described to emplace or inlay a strand, filamentary or strip-shaped material into a base material which may be softened by the application of a local and temporary heat.

According to this invention, the operation of the apparatus can be automatically controlled electrically with respect to its forward and backward movement, the displacement of the base material between each forward and backward run, and the respective reversal of the distributing means by 180 at the end ofeach run.

The technique for operating the apparatus of this invention provides for feeding a filament, strand or striplike material which is unreeled from a spool revolving solely by means of the pull on the filament-shaped material, with the filamentshaped material passing from the spool through the guide opening defined in the guide means angularly and downwardly into a slot provided by the guide means as the apparatus is moved along a guide track. The spool of filament-shaped material is preferably carried by the apparatus above the guide means. As the apparatus moves along its runs, the filamentshaped material emerges from the sliding foot portion of the guiding means and is pressed into the surface of the base material which has been locally and temporarily softened by virtue of heat emanating from the heating member which is transferred to the sliding foot portion of the guide means.

Finally, the instant inventive concepts are directed to the products which are formed utilizing the apparatus according to the methods of the instant invention. These products may be, for example, heating means such as area heaters having inlaid, relatively thin heating wires or the like. The method is particularly applicable in the production of heating plates having it lnminuted glass construction wherein the very thin heating wires are superficially laid into the laminated glass foil. Moreover, the method of this invention permits production of so-called alarm plates in a reliable and economical fashion.

For a further understanding of the instant inventive concepts, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings.

The distributing means is designated generally by the reference numeral 1 and is an essential part of the apparatus for emplacing filament-shaped materials into a thermoplastically softenable base material. The distributor 1 includes a cylindrically shaped heating means 2 of minimal dimensions, with an unheated upper half 3 rigidly clamped into a cartridgeshaped holding means 4.

For this purpose, the cartridge-shaped mounting of holding means 4 is slit longitudinally on one side and equipped with a screw 5 to securely hold the heating means 2 therewithin. Note particularly FIG. 2a.

At the end of the holding means 4 lying opposite heating means 2, a penholderlike handle 6 may be attached in the event that it is desired that the emplacement operations of the distributor 1 be performed manually. Note FIG. 1. The current for heating means 2 can be conducted through the handle 6.

For purposes of mechanical or automatic emplacement, reference is made to FIG. 2, wherein the portion of the holding means 4 lying opposite the heating means 2 terminates in a bolt or stud 7 which, for its major part, is slit longitudinally into two equal halves and which is bounded by lateral flanks parallel thereto. The bolt 7 is provided with a transverse bore at the height of the flanks which is equipped with a thread for the purpose of receiving a tapered propeller shaft 8 (FIG. 6) which has an adjusting means in the form of a screw 9 by means of which the distributor 1 can be adjusted laterally in the emplacement apparatus. The tapered end portion of the bolt 7 may contain an additional transverse threaded bore for receiving a setscrew or clamping screw 10 for the purpose of locking the distributor 1 in place in laterally adjusted position.

The heating means 2 is preferably constructed of ceramic material and the portion of the heating .means 2 which protrudes downwardly from the cartridge-shaped part of the holder 4 is capped by a casing head 11 which is pierced axially and which is equipped with a cylindrical projection 12 for the purpose of receiving the end portion of a shaft 13 having high heat conductivity and extending downwardly from heating means 2.

The heating coils 14 of the quickly reacting heating means 2 are located primarily on the lower half of a thin ceramic tube 15 which in its cavity contains the shaft 13 for axial heat transfer to the filament guide means in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter. For purposes of increasing radial thermal insulation, a ceramic covering tube 16 is placed on top of the heating coils 14 with a further ceramic tube 17 superimposed upon the covering tube 16. Leads or conductors 18 feed current through two lateral openings in the tube 17 to the heating coils 14.

The projection 12 of the casing head 11, which receives the shaft 13, is used for attachment of the filament guide means 19. For this purpose, the upper portion of the filament guide means 19 is axially or longitudinally bored and has a transverse threaded opening 21 for receiving a clamping screw 22 to secure the filament guide means 19 to the projection 12. A U-shaped profile main portion 23 of the filament guide means 19 has its leg portions 24 pointing forwardly, that is, in the main direction of travel which the distributor will take during the emplacement operation, this U-shaped profile portion 23 of the filament guide means adjoining the upper portion 20, with the main portion 23 tapering inwardly and downwardly toward a suitably shaped free or unattached sliding foot portion 25. The U-shaped profile portion of the filament guide means 19 is equipped with an ear having a guide opening 26 therethrough which extends obliquely downwardly into the slot defined between the leg portions 24 of the filament guide means 19. As shown in FIG. 2 a small spring 27 is anchored to the clamping screw 22 at one end, the opposite or free end of the spring 27 extending into the,slot defined by the U-shaped portion of the filament guide means 19 to a point below the location at which the guide opening 26 communicates with the aforementioned slot to thereby improve the guiding action provided for the filament-shaped material as it is being emplaced.

For purposes of emplacement the distributor 1 must be placed into a pull or drag position relative to the surface of the base material in such a manner as to arrange the longitudinal axis of the distributor l and the plane of the upper surface of the base material at an angle of approximately 80. This is accomplished by suitably suspending the distributor l in the manner to be described hereinafter. By means of the propeller shaft 8, the adjusting screw 9 and the clamping or locking screw 10, the distributor 1 is mounted between a pair of guide tracks of a supporting means 28 of the emplacement apparatus in such a manner as to prevent any undesirable lateral movement of the distributor 1. A projection .29 (FIG. 6) cooperates with a setscrew 30 (FIG. 2a) which is carried by the clamping means for the cartridge-shaped portion of the holder 4 to permit any desired adjustment of the inclination of the distributor l and centering of the sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 with respect to the rotational axis around which the emplacement apparatus with the distributor must be swung by 180 for forward and backward runs of the same. A spring 31 normally urges the distributor 1 into its directional course by means of which the distributor 1 raises or lowers itself more or less depending upon the depth adjustment of the sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 and the degree of softening of the base material.

Since it is essential that the sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 does not varyjits position in relation to the depositing of the filament on the base material, the emplacement apparatus is equipped with a regulating means 32 which functions to raise or lower the supporting means 28 carrying the distributor 1 depending upon the characteristics of the base material. For that purpose, the regulating means 32 is provided with a sensing foot 33 which is mounted on the lower end of sliding element 34 and which is constantly pressed by a spiral spring 35 into contact with the upper'surface of the base material. The sliding element 34 is rigidly connected to the supporting means 28 whereby the distributor 1 is easily guided for parallel displacement by means of a bearing or ball box 36 interposed between the sliding element 34 and a pipe member 37.

Finally, the emplacement apparatus is provided with a centering base 38 which covers the upper part and which, in the event of temporary interruption in the laying operation, is provided with a lifting member in order to be able to raise the entire apparatus. Moreover, the regulating means 32 with supporting means 28 and distributor 1 can be locked in its uppermost position by means of a snap joint 39 behind a notch 40.

Referring to FIG. 7, the emplacement apparatus is equipped with an electrically regulatable drive (not shown) for forward and reverse movement along a guide track 41. An additional drive means (not shown) is operatively associated with the apparatus for turning the same by 180 at the end of each pass. A further adjustable drive means 42 is provided for mcying base means 43 by a predetermined amount at the same time that the emplacement apparatus is swung around between the forward and reverse runs of the main distributor drive means.

As mentioned previously, the emplacement apparatus of this invention is not only capable of laying a filament-shaped material in a stretched or taut condition, but by means of suitable serially switched drive means (not shown) the apparatus can periodically be moved to a slight extent transversely of its primary direction of travel in order to accomplish rectangular or wavelike emplacement of the filament-shaped material. Moreover, a further drive means (not shown), which may also derive its power from the main drive means or from the reversing drive means, may be employed to achieve, by means of a slight periodic forward and backward movement of the emplacement apparatus in the primary directional course,

a displacement of adjacent wavy strands with respect to each other or a periodic increase or decrease of the length of the wave of the filament-shaped material which is laid by the device of this invention.

During the operation of the emplacement apparatus hereof, a strand or the like which unreels from the spool 44 located above the filament guide means 19 and mounted for rotation solely in response to a pull on the strand, is fed to the slot defined between the leg portions 24 of the U-profiled portion of the filament guide means 19 through the guide opening 26 traversing downwardly in an oblique direction: From there, the filament-shaped material emerges from the suitable shaped sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 as the emplacement apparatus moves along the guide tracks 41, the filament-shaped material being pressed into the surface of the base material 43 which has been locally and temporarily softened by virtue of heat emanating from the heating means 2 and transferred to the base material from the terminal end of the sliding foot portion 25. Since the heat requirement not only depends upon the type of base material being utilized, but must also be raised to accommodate increasing emplacement speed, the apparatus provides a suitable control means (not shown) to correlate these functions thereby preventing excessive softening of the base material 43.

The emplacement apparatus is advantageously operated through an automatic control preferably electrical in nature, inasmuch as a definite sequence repeats itself periodically during functioning of the apparatus. The forward and reverse movement of the emplacement apparatus along the guide tracks 41 takes place by means of an electric motor (not shown) revolving means being installed above the emplacement apparatus. As soon as the apparatus touches an adjustable contact 45 at one end of the run, the main drive means switches itself off, a greatly geared-down reversing motor means (not shown) which is also installed above the emplacement apparatus, switches itself on and swings the apparatus around through an arc of in a clockwise direction. At the same time, drive means 42 switches on thereby moving the base material 43 a short distance laterally of the primary direction of travel of the distributor over the base material. After reaching the predetermined positions, the reversing motor means, as well as the displacement drive means 42, switch themselves off and the main drive means switches itself on for counterclockwise revolutions, thereby reversing the primary direction of travel of the distributor over the base material. After reaching the terminal position in the reverse direction, the emplacement apparatus activates contact 46 which switches off the main driving means and switches on the reversing drive means for counterclockwise rotation turning the emplacement apparatus by 180 and again setting into operation base drive means 42 in order to displace the base means 43 laterally of the primary direction of travel of the distributor over the base material. As soon as this phase is ended, the main drive means again switches itself on for clockwise revolution and the described sequence of switching operations repeats itself. In this fashion, the emplacement apparatus can be kept in operation completely automatically and it is only necessary to control the heating means 2 and/or adjust the running speed of the main drive means to the optimum or desired condition in order to inlay the filament-shaped material in a continuous manner into the base material.

As mentioned previously, the emplacement apparatus is equipped with a lifting member which enables the sliding foot portion 25 of the distributor to be raised temporarily to interrupt the emplacement operation for a short interval. This phase of the operation may also be automatically provided for by suitable contacts (not shown), for example, lifting the filament-shaped material which is being inlaid over a strip-shaped conductor (not shown).

As will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art, it is feasible to provide for variations from the previously described embodiment. For example, a different form of guide track can be employed. Likewise, the transverse and/or pushing movement imparted to the apparatus during the emplacement operation can be produced in a different manner, for example, electromagnetically in the event that one is dealing with wavelike emplacement of heater wires, for instance, for heating plates.

From the foregoing, the use and operation of the device of the instant invention is believed to be apparent. Once again, the filament-shaped material, particularly, for example, an extremely thin wire, is unreeled from the spool 44 located above the filament guide means 19 and mounted for rotation in response to a pull on the material. The strand or filamentary material is then fed through the guide opening 26 to the slot in the U-shaped portion of the filament guide means passing downwardly in an oblique direction. From there, the strand emerges from the sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 as the emplacement apparatus moves along its predetermined path, and is pressed into the surface ofthe base material 43 which has been locally and temporarily softened by virtue of heat from the sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19. The necessary heat requirement for softening the plastic base material 43 can be regulated depending upon the emplacement speed and the thermoplastic characteristics of the base material. The operational sequence of the apparatus can take place automatically by means of electrical controls in that the sequence recurs regularly. A contact 45 is activated at the end of the run-in of the emplacement apparatus along the guide tracks 41, this contact ending the runin by means of switching off the main drive means. At the same time the reversing motor is switched on for clockwise turning about 180 and the displacement drive means for the base material 43 is set into operation. After termination of the reversal phase and the displacement of the base means by one line, a further contact is activated in order to switch off the reversing motor and the displacement drive and switch on the main drive means for counterclockwise revolution. After reaching the terminal position in the reverse run, contact 46 is activated whereupon the counterclockwise revolutions of the main or distributor drive means are ended, the reversing motor is switched on for counterclockwise rotation of the apparatus by 180 and the displacement drive for the base means 43 is again set into operation to move the base means by one additional line. After termination of the reversal and displacement, a further contact is activated which switches off these drives and again switches on the main drive means for the forward run, thus starting a new and identical sequence. It is of course possible to adjust the speed involved in the reversal through the reversing drive means to correlate the same to the duration of displacing the base means 43. It is also possible to lift the emplacement apparatus automatically shortly before or shortly after reaching the terminal position in either direction in order to transport it, for example, over subsequent conductors. Various types of products can be economically and advantageously produced by means of the abovedescribed apparatus and techniques for operating the same, particularly products wherein very thin strands such as wires, etc., are emplaced within a base material for the production of an area heating means or heating plates.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the instant inventive concepts will be readily understood. Accordingly:

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining the source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filamentshaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, said guide means including a sliding foot portion, and heating means for heating said sliding foot portion, said sliding foot portion being juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, the heating means having an unheated upper section mounted in a sleevelike support, and a lower portion carrying a cover sleeve provided with an extension through which heat is transferred to said sliding foot portion.

2. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, said guide means including a sliding foot portion at its lower terminal end, said sliding foot portion being heated and juxtaposed to said base material during emplacement of said filament-shaped material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filamentshaped material immediately thereafter.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said distributor includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being unheated and said lower portion being heated by said heating means, holding means carrying said distributor by its upper portion, a casing member secured to said lower portion, said casing member including a projection thereon, and a heat-conducting shaft within said distributor forming part of said heating means and received by said projection.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said projection slidingly receives the upper portion of said guide means thereover, and clamping means securing said guide means to said projection.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes a main portion intermediate said upper portion and said sliding foot portion, said main portion and said sliding foot portion having a U-shaped profile including spaced leg portions and a connecting portion extending between said leg portions at one end thereof, the unconnected ends of said leg portions defining a slot therebetween and extending in the primary direction of travel of said sliding foot portion during emplacement of said filament-shaped material into said base material, said U-shaped profile of said main portion of said guide means tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said sliding foot portion, and a downwardly angled guide opening defined through said connecting portion and communicating with said slot.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including spring means having portions extending into said slot and a free end extending below the point at which said guide opening communicates with said slot, said filament-shaped material passing from said source through said guide opening and into said slot, and said spring means engaging against said filament-shaped material to assist in maintaining the same within said slot.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said holding means includes an upper portion which over at least its major extent is slit longitudinally into two generally equal halves bounded by parallel flanks.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said upper portion of said holding means includes a transversely extending threaded bore, a tapering propeller shaft received by said bore, a pair of spaced supporting elements pivotally carrying shaft, adjusting means for laterally positioning said holding means between said supporting elements and locking means for securing said holding means in laterally adjusted position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said distributor includes a longitudinal axis positioned at an angle of approximately to the upper surface of said base material in the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said distributor includes a longitudinal axis inclined at an angle to the upper surface of said base material, and adjusting means for varying said angle.

11. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor inc luding a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, said distributor including a longitudinal axis inclined at an angle to the upper surface of said base material, and adjusting means for varying said said angle, wherein pivot means carry said distributor near its upper end, said adjusting means including a fixed abutment and an adjustable member, said adjustable member being carried by said distributor below said pivot means and bearing against said fixed abutment.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 further including spring means normally urging said adjustable member into bearing engagement with said fixed abutment.

13. Apparatus according to claim further including rotating means for rotating said distributor 180 when it is desired to reverse the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material, said adjusting means permitting centering of said guide means with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotating means.

14. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including regulating means operatively associated with said distributor and responsive to changes in the level of the surface of said base material to raise and lower said distributor thereby maintaining said sliding foot portion in a substantially constant relationship with respect to said surface of said base material.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said regulating means includes a sensing foot positioned to slide along said surface of said base material immediately in front of said sliding foot portion of said distributor, and means for raising and lowering said sliding foot portion of said distributor in response to movement of said sensing foot caused by changes in the level of said surface of said base material.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 further including spring means normally urging said sensing foot into contact with said surface of said base material.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 further including supporting means carrying said distributor, fixed means at the end of said spring means opposite said sensing foot against which said spring means acts,.a pipef member surrounding said spring means, a sliding element surrounding said pipe member, said sliding element being secured to said supporting means at one end and to said sensing foot at its other end, and bearing means interposed between said pipe member and said sliding element.

18. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including lifting means for raising said distributor to space said sliding foot portion away from said surface of said base material for temporary interruptions in emplacing said filament-shaped material into said base material.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 further including latching means for releasably securing said distributor in a position wherein said sliding foot portion is spaced away from said surface of said base material.

20. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, track means slidingly supporting said distributor above said base material, and reversible distributor drive means for moving said distributor along said track means.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 further including rotating means for rotating said distributor when it is desired to reverse the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 further including support means for said base material, and base material drive means operatively associated with said support means for stepwise movement of said base material laterally of the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 further including auxiliary drive means operatively associated with said distributor for periodically moving said distributor laterally of the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said auxiliary drive means derives power from said distributor drive means.

25. Apparatus according to claim 22 further including auxiliary drive means operatively associated with said distributor for periodically moving said distributor to a modified extent with respect to the ordinary movement of said distributor in the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said auxiliary drive means derives power from said distributor drive means.

27. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said track means includes a pair of parallel shafts, and bearing means carrying said distributor and slidingly received on said shafts. 

1. Apparatus for continuously emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining the source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filamentshaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, said guide means including a sliding foot portion, and heating means for heating said sliding foot portion, said sliding foot portion being juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, the heating means having an unheated upper section mounted in a sleevelike support, and a lower portion carrying a cover sleeve provided with an extension through which heat is transferred to said sliding foot portion.
 2. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to saId base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, said guide means including a sliding foot portion at its lower terminal end, said sliding foot portion being heated and juxtaposed to said base material during emplacement of said filament-shaped material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said distributor includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being unheated and said lower portion being heated by said heating means, holding means carrying said distributor by its upper portion, a casing member secured to said lower portion, said casing member including a projection thereon, and a heat-conducting shaft within said distributor forming part of said heating means and received by said projection.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said projection slidingly receives the upper portion of said guide means thereover, and clamping means securing said guide means to said projection.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes a main portion intermediate said upper portion and said sliding foot portion, said main portion and said sliding foot portion having a U-shaped profile including spaced leg portions and a connecting portion extending between said leg portions at one end thereof, the unconnected ends of said leg portions defining a slot therebetween and extending in the primary direction of travel of said sliding foot portion during emplacement of said filament-shaped material into said base material, said U-shaped profile of said main portion of said guide means tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said sliding foot portion, and a downwardly angled guide opening defined through said connecting portion and communicating with said slot.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including spring means having portions extending into said slot and a free end extending below the point at which said guide opening communicates with said slot, said filament-shaped material passing from said source through said guide opening and into said slot, and said spring means engaging against said filament-shaped material to assist in maintaining the same within said slot.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said holding means includes an upper portion which over at least its major extent is slit longitudinally into two generally equal halves bounded by parallel flanks.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said upper portion of said holding means includes a transversely extending threaded bore, a tapering propeller shaft received by said bore, a pair of spaced supporting elements pivotally carrying shaft, adjusting means for laterally positioning said holding means between said supporting elements and locking means for securing said holding means in laterally adjusted position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said distributor includes a longitudinal axis positioned at an angle of approximately 80* to the upper surface of said base material in the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said distributor includes a longitudinal axis inclined at an angle to the upper surface of said base material, and adjusting means for varying said angle.
 11. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily Soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, said distributor including a longitudinal axis inclined at an angle to the upper surface of said base material, and adjusting means for varying said said angle, wherein pivot means carry said distributor near its upper end, said adjusting means including a fixed abutment and an adjustable member, said adjustable member being carried by said distributor below said pivot means and bearing against said fixed abutment.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 further including spring means normally urging said adjustable member into bearing engagement with said fixed abutment.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including rotating means for rotating said distributor 180* when it is desired to reverse the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material, said adjusting means permitting centering of said guide means with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotating means.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including regulating means operatively associated with said distributor and responsive to changes in the level of the surface of said base material to raise and lower said distributor thereby maintaining said sliding foot portion in a substantially constant relationship with respect to said surface of said base material.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said regulating means includes a sensing foot positioned to slide along said surface of said base material immediately in front of said sliding foot portion of said distributor, and means for raising and lowering said sliding foot portion of said distributor in response to movement of said sensing foot caused by changes in the level of said surface of said base material.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 further including spring means normally urging said sensing foot into contact with said surface of said base material.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 16 further including supporting means carrying said distributor, fixed means at the end of said spring means opposite said sensing foot against which said spring means acts, a pipe member surrounding said spring means, a sliding element surrounding said pipe member, said sliding element being secured to said supporting means at one end and to said sensing foot at its other end, and bearing means interposed between said pipe member and said sliding element.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including lifting means for raising said distributor to space said sliding foot portion away from said surface of said base material for temporary interruptions in emplacing said filament-shaped material into said base material.
 19. Apparatus according to claim 18 further including latching means for releasably securing said distributor in a position wherein said sliding foot portion is spaced away from said surface of said base material.
 20. Apparatus for emplacing a filament-shaped material into a thermoplastic base material, comprising means defining a source of said filament-shaped material, a distributor including a guide means receiving said filament-shaped material from said source and carrying the same over a predetermined path with respect to said base material, and heating means for heating at least a portion of said guide means juxtaposed to said base material to temporarily soften said base material and impress the same with said filament-shaped material immediately thereafter, track means slidingly supporting said distributor above said base material, and reversible distributor drive means for moving said distributor along said track means.
 21. Apparatus according to claim 20 further including rotating means for rotating said distributor 180* when it is desired to reverse the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 21 further including support means for said base material, and base material drIve means operatively associated with said support means for stepwise movement of said base material laterally of the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 22 further including auxiliary drive means operatively associated with said distributor for periodically moving said distributor laterally of the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said auxiliary drive means derives power from said distributor drive means.
 25. Apparatus according to claim 22 further including auxiliary drive means operatively associated with said distributor for periodically moving said distributor to a modified extent with respect to the ordinary movement of said distributor in the primary direction of travel of said distributor over said base material.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said auxiliary drive means derives power from said distributor drive means.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said track means includes a pair of parallel shafts, and bearing means carrying said distributor and slidingly received on said shafts. 